Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

Hey Anyone thought of building this aeroplane, gonna put a oldish .61 O.S Four stroke on it busy building it.

Aidan

RE: Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

Photos of Ruperts Dad, Busy Covering, Sorry for Quality sister took the camera, Tail has not been glued on yet.

RE: Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

Hi, some photos on my 3rd Rupert (I'm now building my forth and tinking of changing the transparent covering to blue?)

RE: Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

I built one of these guys this spring. I used two elevator servos mounted aft and Pull-pull on the rudder. I powered it with a Magnum 52 four stroke, but found I needed to add about 7 oz of lead on the motor mounts to get it to balance out correctly. It has flown once, by one of the old timers at the club. His comments was that it flew very well, but sure wasn't a trainer.

I ended up putting together a 40 size ARF trainer and it took me nearly as long to get it flight ready as the Ruperts did. I've had several sessions on the trainer now and should get to landing in the next week. I keep looking at the Ruperts and wishing I could give it a go. By the way, I needed an engine for the trainer, so I pulled the 52 off the Ruperts. I ran across a Magnum 70 four stroke and found it was just about 7 oz heaver than the 52, no lead needed now.

I've got an idea that may let me get it, or most of it, in the air quicker. The idea is to build another wing, but make it semi semetrical but with the same top contour as the stock. I would also put in a couple degrees dihedral. I would make the ailerons quite abit smaller. I used hinges with cotter keys, so I'm also thinking of pulling the elevators off and putting on smaller ones, same with the rudder. Any thoughts on where this may be a good approach. When I'm ready, it would be an easy convert back to stock.

Don

RE: Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

Hi, You are going to be very pleased with Rupert. I can't think of any other plane as close to a trainer as this one. You dont need another wing, just fire up and fly! ;)

RE: Ruperts Dad RC Model World Plan
 

Well, here it is a year and some after the last post. I flew the ruperts once on the budy box. It sat back in the hanger until about a month ago. In the mean time I've totaled out three more planes and am having a ball. I decided it was time to try my hand again on the Ruperts, the rest of the stuff was perty tame if I wanted it to be. The Ruperts is a kick. I took off the other day and was in high rates by mistake. I eased back and the plane did a 90 straight up. A quick glup and I pushed it back level and again a quick 90. During this, the plane only gained 10 feet elevation. I've been having a ball with it. Then the grinch hit.

The next to last outing with it was wild. The first takeoff roll was about 10 ft long and then the plane went into a tight right turn and I mean tight. I got the trottle killed about 1/2 way through it second loop and as it was shutting down, it ran off the tarmac and hit the gravel and cracked the prop. I'm cursing my self and got it back on the bench and changed the prop. A quick checkout showed no problems. Away I went and all was well until landing. I got it down without damage, but it was all over the place. Guess I'm having a bad day so I pack it up and go home. Two days later, I'm back to the field with it. I do all my preflights and I'm ready.. I start my take off and it starts pulling left, a little rudder and I'm back on the center line. Just as I pull some up elevator to lift off, the plane does a sharp right turn and is bouncing along in the weeds next to the runway. I've got full up and nothing is happening. I kill the engine and just as it shuts down, the plane lifts off and glides just over the barbed wire fence into the stock pond off the runway. I go down and pick it up, the tail is reacable from the shore and all lookes OK. when I pick it up it weighs a ton, the wing is full of water.

I get it back to the bench and pull the wing, the leading edge sheeting is pushed between the ribs all along one side. I set it up to drain out and check the rest of the plane. No water in the radio compartment, good. I the started the engine to make sure it didn't get any water in and that went well. As I reached down to turn off the receiver, I noticed the VoltWatch was showing a solid red light. The battery had come off the charger less than an hour before after an all night charge. I got every thing back home and I hosed down the wheels that were packed in mud. I turned the radio back on and the volt watch was still full red. I let things dry out and about two hours later put the plane on the bench to pull the battery. At that point I turned the reciver on again now, I showed a full charge. I really haven't found the problem yet. I pulled the battery and ended up pulling the shrink warp off it and checking lugs and voltage. I couldn't find anything wrong. I cycled the battery and then loaded the receiver with eight digital servos and ran the daylights out of it, stalling servos and still no repeat. At this point, I'm replacing the battery and switch harness. I've got to resheet the bottom leading edge and while I have things apart, I'm going to replace all the control horns and try to get them where they belong this time. I mounted them to far back and my pull-pull rudder linkage goes sloppy on one side any place but dead center.

I can hardly wait to get it back in the air. IT IS FUN. I may build a second and power it with a 90FS. I've got a 70FS in it now.

Don